alan_fincher 2700 Report post #26 Posted October 10 1 hour ago, dmr said: I believe Napton is now fixed, or at least improved, and Hurleston is getting done this winter, though I believe two locks are difficult and maybe only one is getting rebuilt???? That leaves Huddersfield and the Stratford as the big issues, though there are likely several others. The South Stratford is a nice canal leading down to the Avon. The Huddersfield Narrow is still a bit "extreme boating" so might not be a part of the OPs plans. In the slightly longer term the canal system is getting older and other locks, like the Marple flight, might well become troublesome at some stage. 6 foot ten, seventy foot, and 24 inches draft is a better long term investment. ...................Dave See above. Bosley lock 8 measures exactly 7' 0.5" across the coping stones over a considerable distance towards its bottom end. Even locks on the Rochdale, (supposedly a broad canal) caused us to get severely stuck with a 7' 1" beam. They are only broad locks if you can move both gates. If a gate can't be shifted at all, even with a gang of "heavies" and a Spanish windlass, then a "wider than usual" boat still has major difficulties. There have been several other recently reported issues with boats of this kind of width, including both on the T&M, and even (from memory) Chelmondosten on the Shroppie Middlewich branch. Don't underestimate the problems, (which genuinely seem to be increasing). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Mack 835 Report post #27 Posted October 10 24 minutes ago, alan_fincher said: See above. Bosley lock 8 measures exactly 7' 0.5" across the coping stones over a considerable distance towards its bottom end. Even locks on the Rochdale, (supposedly a broad canal) caused us to get severely stuck with a 7' 1" beam. They are only broad locks if you can move both gates. If a gate can't be shifted at all, even with a gang of "heavies" and a Spanish windlass, then a "wider than usual" boat still has major difficulties. There have been several other recently reported issues with boats of this kind of width, including both on the T&M, and even (from memory) Chelmondosten on the Shroppie Middlewich branch. Don't underestimate the problems, (which genuinely seem to be increasing). Belfast must be a bit slimmer than the nominal 7 ft 1in, since over this year it has travelled through Bosley, the full length of the T&M and the Middlewich Branch without getting stuck for width, and on the Rochdale we scraped through past the fixed gate, rather than needing any winching. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ditchcrawler 1145 Report post #28 Posted October 10 (edited) A photo nicked from Facebook tonight but was taken 8 years ago of a slightly fat boat Edited October 10 by ditchcrawler Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Captain Pegg 669 Report post #29 Posted October 11 10 hours ago, David Mack said: Belfast must be a bit slimmer than the nominal 7 ft 1in, since over this year it has travelled through Bosley, the full length of the T&M and the Middlewich Branch without getting stuck for width, and on the Rochdale we scraped through past the fixed gate, rather than needing any winching. Or maybe it just hasn’t spread. It’s logical that the problem when some boats get stuck but others don’t that the boat is at least partially to blame. Old locks move inward and old boats move outward. That’s just the nature of the beasts. As for the OP’s boat the responses largely make an assumption that the boat has spread and can be pulled in. However it could be an old day boat conversion or even a historic that was always on the wide side of 7’. It would be useful to know it’s provenance. JP 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jen-in-Wellies 792 Report post #30 Posted October 11 15 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said: Yes. The locks may all the getting slowly narrower, but at least they aren't all getting slowly shorter! It is due to continental drift. In the 200+ years since they were built the canals have been stretched out, which makes the locks narrower across the width. 😀 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Schweizer 739 Report post #31 Posted October 11 On 10/10/2019 at 09:53, galaxy273 said: In the process of buying a narrow boay. Pre-purchase survey has identified that she is wider than the builder paperwork and seller particulars. measured at 7'1" rather than the 6'10". New to canal boating, my quick checks on CRT website indicate that this may be problem on 'narrow' canals. I was intending to cruise the network and move from Stafford area to London for rennovation works ..... Interested in views on whether I need to look for an actual 6'10'" wide boat or whether I'll be Ok at 7'1" thanks My first reaction would be to ask how the measurement was taken, and have it checked. Unless it was built more than forty years ago, I doubt that it would be over 7ft wide. Our old boat was built in 1982 and was a tad over 7ft wide over the top guard irons. We travelled fairly widely and the only place which we could not negotiate was the entarnce lock onto the Llangollen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OldGoat 324 Report post #32 Posted October 11 Methinks that with the current (and most likely future) reductions in maintenance by CRT, more locks will suffer movement in their walls either by general land conditions or by general poor practice / use by boats using the system. A couple of years ago we helped a 'proper' boat through one of the locks on the Napton flight which invloved a lot of thrashing around and flushing water down. Whereas it got the boat through, I wonder (not) whether the effort would create problems that wouldn't be aparrent until much later. In the bad lod days there would have been a lengthsman who knew his patch and would spot difficulties as they arose - fixing them before they became an 'issue'. Now it's more of recording the problem (if spotted) and getting some office bod to schedule a repair, or mebe ignoring it, until major failure occurs. My point in this case is - don't chance fate, knowing that your boat is over wide - then finding out that you've got stuck and need draconian efforts to release you, which will cause problems for everyone else until the underlying fault is rectified. CRT have cut back on maintenance - possibly - resulting in major unplanned closures as time passes... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3580 Report post #33 Posted October 12 You think you have problems. I bet the captain of this ship was wearing brown underpants. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7563541/Biggest-cruise-ship-squeeze-Corinth-Canal-Greece-makes-just-3ft-spare.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike the Boilerman 5542 Report post #34 Posted October 12 And not a side fender in sight. Curious to note a full length narrow boat would fit through there sideways..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jen-in-Wellies 792 Report post #35 Posted October 12 37 minutes ago, rusty69 said: You think you have problems. I bet the captain of this ship was wearing brown underpants. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7563541/Biggest-cruise-ship-squeeze-Corinth-Canal-Greece-makes-just-3ft-spare.html Always the way. A big crowd of gongoozlers watching when you are trying to do a tricky bit of boat handling. 😀 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3580 Report post #36 Posted October 12 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said: And not a side fender in sight. Curious to note a full length narrow boat would fit through there sideways..... I fink @Dr Bob went through sideways in his yot. It was 3ft narrower before he did so. Edited October 12 by rusty69 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3580 Report post #37 Posted October 12 21 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said: Always the way. A big crowd of gongoozlers watching when you are trying to do a tricky bit of boat handling. 😀 Yeah but no but he had 3 ft each side. Get closer to the side, that's a whole 6ft.i could of got our narrowboat down the side of that. Besides, he had no side wind to deal with And got a tow! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike the Boilerman 5542 Report post #38 Posted October 12 12 minutes ago, rusty69 said: Yeah but no but he had 3 ft each side. Get closer to the side, that's a whole 6ft.i could of got our narrowboat down the side of that. Besides, he had no side wind to deal with And got a tow! Do you think he had a girlie button? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Bob 2033 Report post #39 Posted October 12 3 hours ago, rusty69 said: I fink @Dr Bob went through sideways in his yot. It was 3ft narrower before he did so. We went through twice in our yot......but pointy bit first. Iirc, it's the most expensive canal in the world by length. £150 for half a mile. Cash only. No receipt. It was Greece after all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3580 Report post #40 Posted October 12 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Dr Bob said: We went through twice in our yot......but pointy bit first. Iirc, it's the most expensive canal in the world by length. £150 for half a mile. Cash only. No receipt. It was Greece after all. That sounds like good value for a 643ft boat carrying 1200 passengers. If you had carried 1200 passengers, you could have split the bill.The duck would have gone free, cos he already has a bill. Edited October 12 by rusty69 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Bob 2033 Report post #41 Posted October 12 12 minutes ago, rusty69 said: That sounds like good value for a 643ft boat carrying 1200 passengers. If you had carried 1200 passengers, you could have split the bill.The duck would have gone free, cos he already has a bill. Naw, they'ed never let anything go through free. I never saw any ducks when we were sailing in Greece. Prolly 'cause that canal was too expensive for them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jen-in-Wellies 792 Report post #42 Posted October 12 5 hours ago, rusty69 said: You think you have problems. I bet the captain of this ship was wearing brown underpants. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7563541/Biggest-cruise-ship-squeeze-Corinth-Canal-Greece-makes-just-3ft-spare.html That's steeper sides than the cuttings on the Shroppie. If the canal has a Shroppie shelf too it would be even harder than it looks in this picture. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
magpie patrick 273 Report post #43 Posted October 12 2 hours ago, Dr Bob said: We went through twice in our yot......but pointy bit first. Iirc, it's the most expensive canal in the world by length. £150 for half a mile. Cash only. No receipt. It was Greece after all. Why did you only do one-eighth of the canal? And is it cheaper per mile to do the whole thing? 5 hours ago, rusty69 said: Yeah but no but he had 3 ft each side. Get closer to the side, that's a whole 6ft.i could of got our narrowboat down the side of that. Besides, he had no side wind to deal with And got a tow! With 6 feet to spare a cast-off shipping container would wedge him tight! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ditchcrawler 1145 Report post #44 Posted October 12 39 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said: That's steeper sides than the cuttings on the Shroppie. If the canal has a Shroppie shelf too it would be even harder than it looks in this picture. But he is not going to meet anyone as he sent the first mate ahead with a mobile phone to check Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jen-in-Wellies 792 Report post #45 Posted October 12 12 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said: But he is not going to meet anyone as he sent the first mate ahead with a mobile phone to check A good job too. Just imagine the blacking they'd lose trying to reverse out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3580 Report post #46 Posted October 12 1 hour ago, magpie patrick said: Why did you only do one-eighth of the canal? And is it cheaper per mile to do the whole thing? He couldn't afford to do the whole length. 1 hour ago, magpie patrick said: With 6 feet to spare a cast-off shipping container would wedge him tight! Good point. That is why I am not a cruise ship captain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Bob 2033 Report post #47 Posted October 12 4 hours ago, rusty69 said: He couldn't afford to do the whole length. No, I always keep going to the end! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr Bob 2033 Report post #48 Posted October 12 6 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said: That's steeper sides than the cuttings on the Shroppie. If the canal has a Shroppie shelf too it would be even harder than it looks in this picture. It is a rather impressive canal to go through in a 40 ft yot. You have to radio them to allow passage. We were the only bote going through the both times we went and you were never quite sure they heard you properly and some 1500 passenger cruise liner was about to appear at the other end. The 2nd time we did it was on the way back from the Agean and there was a 4 ft swell running in to the entrance...where you have to park to go and pay. I wouldnt like to do it in a sewertube....or even a fat bote. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rusty69 3580 Report post #49 Posted October 12 1 minute ago, Dr Bob said: It is a rather impressive canal to go through in a 40 ft yot. I went there when I was 10. The coach stopped there on the way to somewhere. All I remember,looking from the top was that it was a looooong way down, and it was blue, very very blue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
koukouvagia 209 Report post #50 Posted October 13 The ancient Greeks had a simple method of crossing over to the Gulf of Corinth. They simply built a causeway, put their triremes on log rollers and dragged them from one side to the other. You can see still see the ancient trackway (the diolkos). Dr Bob could have saved himself 150 quid. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites